About Centre for Evidence-based Purchasing

The Centre for Evidence-based Purchasing (CEP) provided impartial and objective assessments of medical devices to help the NHS make better purchasing decisions. Established as part of NHS Purchase and Supply Agency in September 2005, we built upon the foundations of 20 years’ experience accrued in our former role as MHRA’s Device Evaluation Service. Our work was fully funded by the Department of Health (DH). We developed strong links with key stakeholders in government, the NHS, charitable organisations, and professional bodies, engaging proactively with them to maximise the value of our reports to purchasers and specifiers of medical devices.

CEP provided assessments on innovative healthcare solutions, whether through the introduction of new medical devices or through the use of established devices in new ways. Our extensive supplier base consisted of specialists in medical device assessment and health economics. We undertook primary research, secondary research (using robust evidence form a variety of sources), market reviews, and economic analyses, publishing our reports and interactive tools electronically.
As a customer facing organisation we accepted proposals from our online submission form (publicly available) and through proactive stakeholder engagement. We assessed each proposal, taking advice from key stakeholders and experts, to ensure that the project scope, report type, and potential benefits addressed real information needs in the NHS and the wider healthcare environment. Drawing on PRINCE2 best practice methodologies, our extensive experience, and knowledge from our stakeholder groups and organisations, CEP developed world class standard operating procedures in medical device assessment. To find our more about CEP’s processes and procedures please read our annual report.

CEP’s information partners:

The Centre for Evidence-based Purchasing (CEP) was decommissioned on 31st of March 2010. We conclude having published around 160 separate reports and interactive tools to assist the NHS in better understanding how innovative technologies could bring improvements to both patient care and service delivery. We are proud of the success CEP achieved in raising the standards for evidencing the value of medical devices and would like to thank all those who contributed to our work programme.

CEP carried out benefits realisation exercises demonstrating our value in encouraging the uptake of innovative medical devices. This is contextualised in our case studies on chest radiography, breast screening, diabetes, the analyser monitoring programme (AMP), and equipment specifications. These show how CEP has helped the NHS achieve better value for money and better quality of patient care. We have also developed a business case template to assist clinicians and purchasers in presenting the evidence necessary to support effective funding streams and procurement.